Layton faces caucus revolt over position on 'Durban 2'
By John Ivison  
June 18, 2008
National Post
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OTTAWA - NDP leader Jack Layton is moving to head off a potential caucus revolt by reconsidering the party's position on a United Nations racism conference next year, which Jewish groups worry could turn into an anti-Semitic hatefest.
Internal correspondence obtained by the National Post suggests that a number of NDP MPs think the party is mistaken in its opposition to a government boycott on the conference and has called for a rethink that Mr. Layton is now said to be considering.
The NDP's position has been in constant evolution. We will keep monitoring the situation, said Mr. Layton's senior press secretary, Karl Belanger, when asked if the party could change its official position again and back the government's decision to boycott the conference, which will be held in Geneva next April.
The government decided to stay away after the first UN racism conference in Durban, South Africa, in 2001 descended into chaos, as Arab countries drafted declarations condemning Israel as an apartheid, racist and fascist state.
The NDP initially supported the government's position but earlier this month called for Canada to attend the conference, based on assurances from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that the follow-up, dubbed Durban 2, would not be allowed to degenerate into an anti-Israel circus.
Some political opponents alleged the NDP flip-flop was motivated by the chance to make gains with Muslim voters at the expense of the Liberals, who have been increasingly vocal in their support of Israel under new foreign affairs critic, Bob Rae.
The NDP's opposition to the boycott came under fierce attack from Jewish groups, with Bernie Farber, chief executive of the Canadian Jewish Congress calling it a betrayal of the Jewish community and of Canadians in general.
The NDP tried to get a left-wing Jewish group of academics and activists called the Alliance of Concerned Jewish Canadians to orchestrate a letter-writing campaign in support of the party's position.
Diana Bronson, head of the NDP's caucus services in Mr. Layton's office, wrote to the ACJC urging its members to write to the media. Try to make it as mainstream as possible, she urged.
Ms. Bronson's letter was forwarded to ACJC members by the organization's founder, Diana Ralph, who added her own note.
She [Ms. Bronson] says their MPs are starting to crumble and say that the decision was a mistake. She asked us to mobilize as many letters from Jews and Jewish groups as possible as quickly as possible, she wrote.
Peter Stoffer, the NDP member for Sackville-Eastern Shore in Nova Scotia, said he is of two minds about whether Canada should go to Geneva but said he hoped the party would hold off from making a final decision until it had properly reflected on the potential consequences.
It would be fair to say I'm not 100% behind the current decision, he said.
Joe Comartin, the MP for Windsor-Tecumseh, said he was strongly supportive of taking part in the conference. Walking away doesn't help. It's better to be there, he said. A number of other NDP MPs contacted did not return calls.
Mr. Belanger said the NDP is constantly discussing many issues. It is what makes this party vibrant and it is why at the end of our democratic process, our MPs are more united than those of any other party on any given issue, he said.